The current job market is extremely competitive. If you are in Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, or a Hiring Manager, you are fully aware of how difficult it is to find qualified candidates. Those who are currently employed are willing to change jobs – but it will cost you. Employees are seeking the best possible opportunity and fully taking the competitive market (and employer’s desperation!) to their advantage. While you seek to find the most qualified candidates for your open positions, you must also keep your best employees happy and committed to your organization.
So, what else can you do to help keep your existing staff happy and engaged? Cue the music… stay interviews! Hmm, is a stay interview the same as an exit interview? Nope. A stay interview is essentially a one-on-one conversation with each employee about how they feel about their current role within the organization, their likes, dislikes, if they feel they are being fairly recognized, etc. The purpose of this conversation is to address if there are any immediate issues that would cause your employee(s) to start looking for jobs elsewhere. You can find examples of stay interview questions from Careerbuilder and Dr. John Sullivan, an internationally known HR thought-leader.
Why should you give stay interviews a try? Well, for starters, you can find out if one of your star employees is getting bored, becoming disinterested, or already starting to explore other opportunities. Some issues that may be brought to your attention include poor management styles, lack of recognition, outdated or flawed company policies and processes, lower than normal salaries or less than desirable benefit packages. Hopefully you will be able to gain specific insight into why they are dissatisfied with their current role. Of course some issues cannot be solved, such as a long commute (unless you’re willing to allow remote work) or a salary that you simply cannot afford to pay. The goal of the stay interview is to prevent and avoid the issues that are in your control. Keeping your best employees should be on the top of every company’s agenda!
Want to chat about your hiring needs and any problems you may be facing finding new, qualified talent? Drop us a note!
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